Life-saving garment



Apr. 17, 1923. w 1,452,411

I O. F. BUNN LIFE SAVING GARMENT Filed July 7, 1922 BY -INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 17, 1923.

ORRICE F. BUNN, OF BRISTOL, TENNESSEE.

LIFE-SAVING GARMENT.

Application filed July 7, 1922. Serial 110473313.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ORBICE F. BUNN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bristol, in the county of Sullivan and State of Tennessee, have invented new and useful Improvements in Life-Saving Garments, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my said invention is the provision of a life saving garment designed more especially but not necessarily to be worn at all times by a person on ship board and adapted when an emergency arises to be inflated so as to furnish floatability to the. body tosupport a person in upright vposition in the water; the said garment being so arranged and secured on the body that in its deflated state it is not liable to render the wearer uncomfortable when in or out of the bed. I

To the attainment of the foregoing, the invention consists in the improvement as hereinafter described and definitely claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification:-

Figure 1 is a View showing my novel garment in deflated state as properly positioned on the body of the wearer.

Figure 2 is a similar View with the bodysurrounding belt of the garment inflated.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail vertical section taken through the said belt.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all of the views of the drawings.

The chief feature of my invention resides in the provision of a hollow inflated belt 1 formed of thin rubber or other appropriate material calculated to efficiently contain air under pressure. The said belt 1 is designed to entirely surround the body under the arms and it is of considerable width in a vertical direction as illustrated so that when deflated it will not be uncomfortable to the wearer. The said belt 1 is provided at 2 with an inflating tube in which is a nonreturn valve 3 arranged to open inwardly. Manifestly the belt 1 may be expeditiously and easily inflated through the medium of a pump analogous to a bicycle pump detachably connected tothe said tube 2. I would also have it understood that it is entirely within the purview of my invention to provide the tube 2 with a flexible extension 4 of suflicient length to permit of the placing of the outer end thereof in the mouth of the wearer of the garment so as to inflate the belt 1 in that way. Connected to the forward and rear portions of the belt l are shoulder straps 5 through the medium of. which the belt is maintained against downward movement on the body of the wearer; Also connected to the belt 1 are downwardly extending straps 6, preferably of rubber or elastic which are of suflicient length to reach below the knees of the wearer andare there provided with bands or straps 7 adapted to be fastened below the knees and about the legs of the wearer. The said straps 6 serve the important function of holding the belt 1 against upward movement, particularly when the-belt 1 is deflated, and in that way contribute materially i to preventing the garment'from being uncomfortable to the wearer when the gar ment is deflated and when the wearer is in or out of the bed. The said straps 6 also serve when the belt 1 is inflated and the wearer is in the water to prevent the belt 1 working up into the armpits of the wearer where it would be very uncomfortable.

My novel garment is obviously designed more particularly to be worn over underwear and under the outer clothing, and when the belt 1 is deflated the garment is so flat and smooth that it is not liable to render a person uncomfortable in any degree. It will also be apparent that when deemed expedient the belt 1 can be covered with thin textile material so as not to be unpleasant to the skin of the wearer or the undergarment with which the belt contacts.

As hereinbefore indicated my novel garment is designed more especially to be worn over underclothing and under outside clothing. I would have it understood, however, that the device can be inflated and left in a state room orother convenient location and can be very quickly put on over outer clothing. In fact-the device or garment can be donned in less than one minute, the major portion of the time being taken up by the buckling of the two straps below the knees. I would also have it understood that in view of. the character of my novel device, ship owners should install on ships compressed air tanks for inflating the said devices.

I have entered into a detailed description of the construction and relative arrangement of the parts embraced in the'present and preferred embodiment of my invention in order to impart a full. clear and exact understanding of the said embodiment. I

do not desire, however, to be understood as confining; myself to the specific construction and relative arrangement of parts inasmuch as in the future practice of the invention various changes and modifications may be made such as fall within the scope of my invention as defined in my appended claim.

Havingdescribed my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is v A life saving garment comprising a hollow inflatable belt of considerable width in a vertical direction and adapted to surround the body below the armpits and to be infiated and to hold air under pressure shoul- 15 der straps on the said belt and flexible straps connected to the belt and of sutlicient length to reach below the knees of the wearer and there provided with means for the fastening; of said straps about the legs of the 20 wearer; the said downwardly extending straps beingelastic so as not to interfere with the movements of the legs of the wearer.

In testimony whereofI at'fix my signature. 25

ORRICE F. BUNN. 

